ELECTED OFFICERS

PRESIDENT - Dan Grippo

A native of Illinois, Dan has enjoyed a long career in publishing as a writer, editor, marketing director, and publisher. He began studying Spanish and visited Mexico for the first time in 1980 and immediately was captivated by the nation’s people, culture, language, and traditions. Many more visits followed, as well as years of academic study and research trips that led to a Ph.D. in Latin American history. Dan moved to Mexico in 2001 and has lived in Puerto Vallarta for most of that time. His interests include meditation, tennis, yoga, theater, music, books, world religions, and lively conversation on whatever topic! He invites ideas and suggestions for the IFC.

VICE PRESIDENT - Administration - T. J. Hartung

Before retiring to PV, T.J. lived in California where he designed computers and wrote computer software to manage hotels. Here in PV, he is on the board of directors of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens and is President of the Vallarta Orchid Society. He became a Mexican citizen about 7 years ago.

VICE PRESIDENT - Operations - Mandy Macleay

Mandy has served five years as the IFC President and is continuing to support the IFC with her experience and knowhow. She was born and raised in Montreal; Qc. Canada in a French culture environment, English became her second language only in adulthood. She had great parents and had a great childhood full of happy memories. Mandy was educated, married, worked and also raised a son in Montreal. She and Angus are now the proud grand-parents of two wonderful grand-children who live close to them in Montreal. She worked as an Accountant Manager and consultant for different national institutions.  In her free time she also volunteered at various non-profit organizations sitting on their board as either Treasurer or President. For the last 12 years her husband, Angus, and Mandy have been dividing their time between Puerto Vallarta and Montreal. When they retired, they wanted to spend more time in the sun. Not being a beach lover (too many freckles already) she found out that the IFC was offering some Spanish classes and much more. She became interested in what the Club was offering. Their Treasurer, Al Badner, suggested that Mandy volunteer on the board, and she has ever since. Mandy enjoys the energy, companionship and generosity of the people. She finds that through IFC activities; social, cultural and humanitarian, we can make a change in the life of a child born with a Cleft Palate and have done so for more than 20 years. Mandy is proud and feels blessed for the opportunity to work for such a worthwhile organization.

VICE PRESIDENT - Management Facilities - Fred Forbes

Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Fred took Business Administration in school, and worked in several management positions. He owned and operated several companies over the last 45 years including a successful retail business for the past 27 years. He has been a pro car racer, entertainment promoter, motorcycle enthusiast, has raised Quarter Horses, and enjoys life with family and friends. His first trip to PV was in 1999, and was invited to a show at the IFC and joined the club the same evening. Fred and his lovely wife Clara Lee have 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

VICE PRESIDENT - Events - Linda Mellor

TREASURER - Michel Montagano

Michael is a Canadian CPA with a bachelor of commerce degree from McGill University and a post graduate licentiate degree in accountancy. He is a seasoned financial management executive having occupied the post of vice president finance in one of the largest corporations in Canada. He also worked as a financial consultant having spent four years in Hong Kong. He has been spending the winters in Puerto Vallarta with his wife Evelyn since 1998 when they purchased a condo “Villas Quinta Luna”. Their Latin heritage blends well with the Mexico culture.

RECORDING SECRETARY - Lynette Fairclough

Lynnette is a retired Research Chemist from Manchester, England. After early retirement, she trained to teach English as a foreign language and then spent two years traveling in Central America, teaching English and doing conservation work. Lynnette has lived in Puerto Vallarta for almost five years and now spends most of her time between the IFC, the Botanical Gardens, and the SPCA and with her many good friends.

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY - Ann Yusaitis

Originally from New Jersey, Ann now lives in Vallarta full time. Before moving here six years ago, she worked at a University for 35 years as a Counselor in the "Psychological Counseling Center,"  a job that she loved.  She was also an Advisor to the Ski Club, where, for many years, she accompanied hundreds of students on ski trips in the United States and Europe. Leaving the ice and snow behind, she enjoys being a docent on the IFC Home Tours, trying new restaurants with friends and in general, appreciating all that Vallarta has to offer.

Executive at Large - Tom Hibbs

ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

BAR & FACILITIES - Fred Forbes 

Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Fred took Business Administration in school, and worked in several management positions. He owned and operated several companies over the last 45 years including a successful retail business for the past 27 years. He has been a pro car racer, entertainment promoter, motorcycle enthusiast, has raised Quarter Horses, and enjoys life with family and friends. His first trip to PV was in 1999, and was invited to a show at the IFC and joined the club the same evening. Fred and his lovely wife Clara Lee have 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

COMMUNITY SERVICES -vacant

EDUCATION -Mel Bornstein 

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Mel Bornstein and his wife Barbara has been residents of Puerto Vallarta for 32 years. All their family and offspring and many of their friends still live in the Chicago area Mel has been on the PV School Board for 9 years, meeting with City, State and Mexico educators finding ways to improve schools and learning incentives. For the last 4 years, he has arranged for the importing many thousands of school books and the distribution them without cost to many outlying schools. He was instrumental in bringing to IFC members, a quality emergency medical airlift company that is discounting their rates by 40% to all IFC members, thus enabling more foreign expats and tourists to enjoy their stay in Mexico without medical fears.

HOME TOURS - (vacant)

MEDICAL - April Miton
       Medical co-chair  Mary Carmen Bernal Pickup

MEMBERSHIP - (vacant)
          Membership co-chair - Janet Blacklidge 

NEWSLETTER - T. J. Hartung 

Before retiring to PV, T.J. lived in California where he designed computers and wrote computer software to manage hotels. Here in PV, he is on the board of directors of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens and is President of the Vallarta Orchid Society. He became a Mexican citizen about 7 years ago.

PHOTOGRAPHER -  Bob Davidson

Canadian Speaks and writes: English, French & Spanish Married to Monique for over 43 years. Former president of my own company (Robert Davidson Inc.), representing different companies, selling to the hardware trade in Canada.  Today I sell hand cleaner to the motor trade in the province of Quebec, Canada. I am an advance hobby photographer.  I been photographing IFC events and donating these photos in order to promote IFC’s activities. We have been members of IFC for the last 3 years. We have been coming to Mexico for the last 6 years.  First we came with a motor home and for the past 4 years we are flying in.

PUBLICITY - Janie Blank  

I love to write. I started out as an English major but ended up with a Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Accounting from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio.  Don’t ask!  But the combination served me well in my career as a healthcare consultant.  I could do financial analyses and then turn that into some pretty impressive reports.  I have been retired for a few years and we now spend January through April each year in beautiful, sunny and warm Puerto Vallarta. The remainder of the year is split between a lake house and a downtown loft in Columbus, Ohio. My husband and I have two grown daughters and a son-in-law who all live in Chicago and the light of our life, our first grandchild, Hazel who just turned one.

WEB MASTER - T. J.  Hartung